SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

My neighbour swears when he was a kid (he must about about 45 now) said he saw a plane crash Over Rodley from Stanningley saying it just missed Sandos Chimney (not sure what this is/was, I'm a Lancastrian me!) and come down around there.

I can't find anything on Google, has he gone senile?

from http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/clariant-c ... 011.t64476

Well he isn't imagining the Sandoz (later Clariant) chimney. It's since been demolished and replaced with the Redrow Estate "The Green at Horsforth Vale"

I don't recall an aircrash though but given its proximity to LBIA its not impossible

Hi Wanderer,

The air crash took place on 6th December 1974. The pilot of a small passenger plane and seven passengers died in the crash. The aircraft crashed between the A65 (main road through Horsforth) and the River Aire, on the east side of Rawdon Crematorium and not far from the Sandoz Chemical Works. The plane had circled over Calverley and near to Rodley before it crashed. The accident occurred due to the pilot having a heart attack or similar.

I am fairly sure that a former colleague of mine, Inspector (later Chief Superintendent) David Harry Clarkson dealt with the Police side of the enquiry, along with his team from the Leeds Area Task Force.

Here are some links:

https://assets.digital.cabinet-office.g ... G-BBJG.pdf

http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=18965

Ian

Well thats something i didnt know!!!

Blimey! I was certain my neighbour was yanking my chain or demented!

sparky415 wrote:Well thats something i didnt know!!!

Same as me sparky415. I really should remember such an event happening but I did not. The accident reports (thanks to iansmithofotley for the links) are interesting reading.

Very surprised as I have no recollection of this. I would have been a teenager at the time and it is the sort of event I would remember. I wonder if it didn't get much media coverage or it was eclipsed by bigger news items at the time.

I recall this crash quite well, mainly for the reason that all seven passengers worked for ICI Fibres at Harrogate. I was a chemistry student in Leeds at the time and assumed that some of the crash victims would be fellow chemists. I was also thinking of applying for a job there. It was reported at the time, certainly in the press, and I think it was said that this was the second such air crash involving ICI Fibres personnel.

It is 41 years today since this happened and it is an event I will never forget, the plane crashed in the field right next to the row of cottages where I lived, within minutes the roads were blocked by sightseers making it virtually impossible for the emergency services to get through and we were inundated with reporters. We had arc lights in place for several nights and police guarding the area to stop trophy hunters taking pieces of wreckage before civil aviation investigators could do their work. HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!!!

Hi Erin, I notice this is your first post, so welcome! Sorry its on a topic which brings back painful memories. Hope you continue to contribute on more cheerful topics from now on.